Flexible furnace roof or arch



Dec. 13, 1960 Filed Jan. l2. 1959 FIG. I

R. P. COFELAND ET AL FLEXIBLE FURNACE ROOF OR ARCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 la l / f/f/ /ff INVENTORS ROBERT P.C OPEL. ND BY GzoRGERRElNTJl-:s

Dec. 13, 1960 R. P. COPELAND ET AL 2,963,997

FLEXIBLE: FURNACE ROOF 0R ARCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. l2, 1959 INVENTORS Roel: RT P. COPELAND By GEoReE'P. R El NT.: as

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Dec. 13, 1960 R. P. COPELAND ETAL 2,963,997

FLEXIBLE FURNACE ROOF 0R ARCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 12, 1959 DBIIIIDUD INVENTORS ROBERTPLOPELAND By GEORGERREINTUES M www Dec. 13, 1960 R. P. COPELAND ET AL 2,953,997

FLEXIBLE FURNACE ROOF 0R ARCH 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. l2, 1959 soocm e m N SSIS 'IVWBBHL H LMOHS ombmxm mamon INVENTORS ROBERT F. Cop ELAND By GeoRGERRElNTJr-:s

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United States Patent Oli ice 2,963,997 Patented Dec. 13, 1960 2,963,997 FLEXIBLE FURNACE Roon R ARCH Robert P. Copeland, Independence, Mo., and-George P. Reintjes, 2517 Jefferson St., Kansas City, Mo.; said Copeland assignor to said Rentjes Filed Jan. 12, 1959, ser. No. 186,281

.3 Claims. (Cl. 11o- 99) l terial from which the block is made. By avoiding heavy compression of the arch block, the life of the arch .is greatly lengthened as spalling and cracking of the arch block is very largely avoided.

Another object of the invention is to produce a construction in which the upward lift on the arch bears a relatively lixcd proportional relation to the arch weight, i.e., if the design is such that approximately 40% of the arch Weight is suspended before erosion and growth, then 40% of the arch weight `will still be suspended after erosion and growth of the refractory.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arch whichrises and falls in response to temperature changes, a lifting pull being applied to the arch, such lifting force remaining in the same proportion to the weight of the arch so that cracking and spalling does not occur. In this connection it will be noted that when the arch cools, it contracts and tends to flatten out. Under this condition the upward pull increases but -it must never be greater than the weight of the arch as under such a condition it would pull the arch out of contour.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an arch having the relative tightness against air inltration of a sprung arch and the protection against excessive compression of a suspended arch. It is further advantageous to maintain suiiicient compression between arch block of metal encased type to insure absorption of the metal by the basic material of the encased block.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arch which is adaptable for all types of refractory and in which there is no danger of collapse of the roof due to uneven wear or erosion.

With the general objects named in view and other as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in certain new and useful features of construction and organization ot parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse section through a furnace having a roof embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line lI--II of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a transverse section through a furnace roof of slightly modilied form.

Figure 5 is a graph of the changes in spring loading due to thermal expansion, growth of the arch and wear due to erosion of the block, where the design is such that the springs suspend about 30% of the weight of tho arch.

Figure 6 diagrammatically illustrates the changes plotted in the graph.

In the said drawings where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the gures, 1 'are buckstays forming part of the side walls of the furnace chamber, the buckstays being tied together longitudinally and transversely of the furnace chamber'by horizontal overhead frame members 3 and 4. The arch is partially supported lby the furnace walls as indicated by the skewbacks 5.

Extending longitudinally of the furnace framework and carried by the buckstays are channels 6 which carry a series of spaced clips 7 between which the outer ends of beams S are pivotally secured, said beams being illustrated as comprising a pair of back-to-back U-channels secured together by spacing blocks 9, Figure 2.

The inner ends of the beam 8 projecting from opposite' sides of the furnace carry longitudinal channels 10, and said channels are united by overlapping slotted right angle clips 11 so that the opposite sides of the arch are tied together to limit their range of independent movement, the slots permitting the necessary adjustment due to rise and fall of the arch.

In Figures 1 through 3, the lower anges of the beams 8 carry pendent hangers 12 which carry basic metal encased refractory block 13 as shown. In actual construction it is preferable to provide lengths of pipe or similar supports .14 from which the hangers 12 are suspended. The inner ends of the beams 8 are carried by bolts 15 which -are equipped at their upper ends with springs 16 and nuts 17, the lower ends of said springs pressing against longitudinal extending channels 1S resting on the frame member 4.

In the construction shown in Figure 4, both halves of the arch are supported by a single spring. In this construction the inner ends of the beams 8 are pivoted to channels 19 extending longitudinally of the furnace, the arcuate movement of beams S being accommodated by having their outer pivotal point slotted as shown at 20. The arch tile or block 21 as here illustrated is not metal encased.

Figures 5 and 6 are shown by way of example to illustrate an arch so designed that the resilient support carries approximately 30% of the weight of the arch. These figures illustrate the changes that occur due to thermal expansion, growth and wear or erosion.

From the above description and drawings it will be apparent that we have produced a construction embodying all of the features of advantage set forth as desirable, and while We have described and illustrated the preferred construction, it is to be understood that We reserve the right to all changes within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The combination with -a furnace chamber having spaced side walls, of a sprung arch comprising a plurality of blocks supported by said Walls, a plurality of spaced beams arranged in pairs, each pair spanning the arch, each beam having its outer end pivotally connected to a side Wall and its inner end overlying the arch, the inner ends of the beams of each pair being connected and having means to allow lateral displacement between the beams, block hangers suspended from the beams and connected to the arch blocks to carry a part of the weight of the arch, resilient means connected to each beam adjacent its inner end exerting an upward force on said inner end of the beam to maintain the proper arch contour and reduce pressure between the arch blocks, and a rigid support for said resilient means overlying the beams.

2. The combination with a furnace chamber having spaced side walls, of a sprung arch comprising a plurality of blocks supported by said walls, a plurality of spaced beams arranged in pairs, Veach pair spanning the arch, each beam having its outer end pivotally connected to -a side wall and its inner end overlying the arch, the inner ends of.the beams ofV each pair beingY connected and having means to allow lateral displacement between the beams, block hangers suspended from the beams and connected to the arch blocks to carry a part of the weight of the arch, Va rigid support overlying the beams, and a series of springs carried by the rigid support, said springs exerting upward force on the inner ends of the beams to maintain the proper arch contour and reduce pressure between arch blocks.

3. The combination withra furnace Vchamber having spaced side walls, a plurality of buckstays'positioned in opposite pairs in said side walls, of a sprung arch comprising a plurality of blocksV supported by said side walls, a plurality of spaced beams arranged in pairs, each pair spanning the arch, each beam having its outer end'piv- Yasfissia? References Citedin the' le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Y Loftus' Oct. 2, 1928 Honig L.' Y Nov. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 471,427 Germany Feb. 21,1929 

